Ambassador Music Group (AMG) will host its second annual Rocktoberfest music festival on Saturday, October 5th as a benefit for Cohoes-based nonprofit Community Miracles In Action (CMA) and CMA’s Louder Dreams project. The free, family-friendly event will run from noon to 6:00 pm in the heart of Albany’s Warehouse District (15 Pleasant Street, 12207).
The successful launch of Rocktoberfest in 2018 featured three main-stage acts and two acoustic performances. This year, Rocktoberfest will feature seven acts on the Louder Dreams main stage. Headliners include American Idol’s Madison VanDenburg, Americana-rock group C.K. & The Rising Tide and indie-rockers El Modernist. Rounding out the lineup are pop/indie/R&B artists Vince Palmeri, Julia Gargano, David Cuttino & The Antiks and This Strange Paradise.
Rocktoberfest is central to AMG’s mission of featuring local musicians, partnering with and promoting local businesses, and helping local non-profits. Fulfilling the goal of helping local non-profits, Rocktoberfest 2019 has partnered with Community Miracles in Action (CMA). CMA is a drop-in teen center offering a safe place for kids to set and achieve goals, build meaningful relationships, and connect with adults who provide structure and compassion. In support of this collaboration and in support of teens, the “Louder Dreams” rock stage will feature special performances by CMA and Youth FX (another non-profit organization helping students through film) youths in between main acts.
In an interview with Spot 518 (“Calculated Venture”) in 2018: “The community aspect of the music scene here is unlike anywhere I’ve been,” said Andrew, co-owner and artist manager of AMG. “I think there’s potential for something bigger to happen in the music scene, here in Albany,” said Rose, co-owner and marketing director of AMG. “And we’re on the brink of making it bigger than what it is right now. I think we’re all trying to make it happen.”
Ambassador Music Group (AMG) is an artist management company based in Albany, New York. AMG’s artists have performed on stages across New York and New England and benefit from a devoted management and PR team. While promoting their own roster, AMG reserves resources to support local musicians, partner with local businesses, and help children through music. Learn more at www.ambassadormusicgroup.com.
Their identities may be under wraps but Here Come the Mummies are the high power funk band you didn’t know you needed in your life. Playing to a crowd at Albany’s Skyloft, most didn’t know what to expect but found themselves moving to the consistently energizing funk.
This 11-piece group is anonymous, supposedly cursed after deflowering a great Pharaohâs daughter, or perhaps they are reincarnated Grammy-Winning studio musicians. Either way, the performance from a Mummies show is second to none and more visits to the Empire State are in order.
Over the course of their two hour set full of originals, many with suggestive lyrics, had the audience cracking up while they’re getting down. “Pants,” “Shag Carpet” and “Freak Flag” all had their own elements of kink and double entendre, while “Bring that (Bootie) Down” and “Ra Ra Ra” filled in with big band funk that is a rare find these days.
The attentive ear could even catch riffs of Wreckx-N-Effect “Rump Shaker” that beckoned for the crowd to get down. An encore of “Dirty Minds” summed up the band’s style in both sound and lyrics, and kept the audience waiting for more. Here Come the Mummies will surely rise again in the Capital District.
The Stone Temple Pilots have been playing since the late 80’s, and even with a new face on the mic, they don’t seem to be slowing down. Droves of fans packed the wide room of Upstate Concert Hall in Clifton Park, NY on Tuesday September 10th. The crowd was a sea of late 40’s dads and also a young crowd that will keep these memories alive.
The quartet came out to a massive roar as they took the stage. They started off strong, working through “Coma,” “Wicked Garden” and “Vasoline.” After a few classics they moved into their newer songs. They did an incredible job weaving through their repertoire, at one point playing two of their most memorable songs sandwiching their newest singles.
You can catch STP on the last leg of their tour coming up on September 19 and 22 in Philadelphia and New York City. Check out the setlist and photos from Zatchmo Lives Media below.
Setlist: Coma, Wicked Garden, Vasoline, Crackerman, Lounge Fly, Big Bang Baby, Glide, Big Empty, Plush, Meadow, Interstate Love Song, Roll Me Under, Dead and Bloated, Trippin’ on a Hole in a Paper Heart.
With three of the most prolific rock guitarists in the world, GE Smith (Hall & Oates, Bob Dylan & SNL band), Jim Weider (The Band & Levon Helm Band), and Duke Levine (Peter Wolf, Rosanne Cash), this is sure to be a historic night of roots rock n’ roll. Playing tunes from Roy Buchanan, Little Richard, Neil Young, Jimmy Reed, Steve Winwood, Sam Cooke and more, the Masters of the Telecaster promises to be a full night of quality music. Opening for the show will be Nate Gross Band followed by Sly Fox.
Jim Weider, a master of classic telecaster guitar, is renowned for his rock and a blues-based signature sound. He is among a select group of musicians with an endorsement from Fender, and for the past three decades, he’s earned enormous respect from fellow musicians and music fans throughout the world.
Born and raised in the famed arts colony of Woodstock, NY, Jim received great acclaim during his long tenure (1985-2000) as lead guitarist (replacing Robbie Robertson) for Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame inductees, The Band. During 15 years of international touring with original members Levon Helm, Garth Hudson, and Rick Danko, Jim was featured on numerous albums, films, videos, and television appearances. Highlights included a 1990 performance with The Band and Ronnie Hawkins at The Berlin Wall concert, produced by Roger Waters of Pink Floyd, and several cable TV specials including “The Bob Dylan Tribute” at Madison Square Garden, “The Road,” and “This Country’s Rocking.” Jim performed and recorded at the “Unofficial Blue Jean Bash” for President Clinton’s 1993 Inaugural Ball, with special guests Bob Dylan, Steven Stills and Dr. John, was on a 1994 pay-per-view concert telecast from the Woodstock ’94 Festival, and a 1995 appearance on the A&E Biography documentary “The Authorized Video Biography The Band” for cable TV and video, released by ABC Video.
Jim furthered his reputation as a versatile and talented guitarist in performances and recordings with Scotty Moore, Keith Richards, Los Lobos, Graham Parker, Taj Mahal, Mavis Staples, Hot Tuna, Bob Weir/Rat Dog, Johnny Paycheck, James Talley, Kim Wilson, Paul Butterfield and Robbie Dupree, among many others.
G.E. Smith was Music Director and led the Saturday Night Live (SNL) band for 10 years. During this time he also toured with Bob Dylan for four years. He also helped Mike Myers write a song for Aerosmith for when they performed on SNL. G.E. Smith was sought out by major recording artists like Jagger, who, shortly after Live Aid, called Smith to work with him on his first solo album, She’s the Boss. During this period Smith also did a few one-off recordings and concerts with David Bowie and Peter Wolfe. He just finished a three year run with Roger Water’s WALL LIVE worldwide tour.
Guitarist Robert “Duke” Levine was born and raised in Worcester, MA. He moved to Boston to study music and graduated from the New England Conservatory. In addition to releasing five records of instrumental guitar music, Duke Levine divides his time between the studio and the road. He has recorded and/or performed live with Peter Wolf, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Rosanne Cash, Lee Ann Womack, The J. Geils Band, Robbie Fulks, Slaid Cleaves, Aimee Mann, Jonathan Brooke, The Del Fuegos, Otis Rush, and many others.
TV appearances include The Late Show w/ David Letterman, The Tonight Show, Late Show w/Conan O’Brien, Late Night w/ Jimmy Fallon, Austin City Limits, and Soundstage. You can hear his playing on film scores such as “Lone Star,” “The Opposite Of Sex,” “Passion Fish,” “Honeydripper” and “Music Of The Heart.” Duke’s work has been recognized by the Boston Music Awards (“Unsung Hero” of 2006, “Outstanding Instrumentalist” of 1995). He is featured in the book: The Fender Telecaster: The Life And Times Of The Electric Guitar That Changed The World, by Dave Hunter.
Marco Benevento has released “Send It On A Rocket,” his self-proclaimed “end of summer anthem” and third single ahead of new album Let It Slide, due out September 20th on Royal Potato Family. In between references to reefer and Topo Chico, deep pockets of bass and spaced-out synths, the cascading composition reveals that behind Marco the bandleader – who covers his piano strings in gaffers tape and enjoys walking his pet goats and peacocks through the Catskill woods – there are patches of sorrow he’s now ready to contemplate more seriously than ever.
The sounds of “Send It On A Rocket” preview the new territory charted between Benevento and Let It Slide producer Leon Michels, a partnership marking the first time Benevento relinquished studio control of his own music. As evident on the new single, that surrender led to his deepest inward exploration, and spontaneous impulses like taping those piano strings. Read Benevento’s introduction to the song via Talkhouse.
Introduced via dear friend Richard Swift (who was set to mix the LP before passing), Marco made Let It Slide with Michels (Sharon Jones, Adele, Lana Del Rey, Lady Gaga) and an unexpected, Upstate NY bromance ensued, and Marco’s trust in Leon ultimately informed the album’s core: free yourself to be yourself. Citing influence in Can, ESG, Childish Gambino, and Mulatu Astatke, he dug deep into his lyrics, exploring acceptance, desire, and regret, while embracing the moment – an impulse to cover piano strings in gaffers tape created the LP’s main muted sound (along with the Binson Echorec, the tape machine behind 1970s Pink Floyd).
This fall, Marco Benevento and his band – including Karina Rykman (bass) and Andy Borger (drums) will make 30 stops from coast to coast, with 5 shows in New York over two weeks in October.
MARCO BENVENTO Tour Dates
10/10 – Buffalo, NY – Iron Works 10/11 – Ithaca, NY – The Haunt 10/12 – Albany, NY – Cohoes Music Hall ** 10/13 – Woodstock, NY – The Colony * 10/17 – Portland, ME – Port City Music Hall ^ 10/19 – Burlington, VT – Higher Ground ^ 10/20 – Holyoke, MA – Gateway City Arts ^ 10/23 – Fairfield, CT – FTC StageOne ^ 10/24 – Brooklyn, NY – Music Hall of Williamsburg ^ 10/25 – Philadelphia, PA – Underground Arts ^ 10/26 – Washington, DC – Pearl Street Warehouse ^ 11/2 – Shizuoka, Japan – Frue Festival 11/6 – Pittsburgh, PA – Club Cafe ^ 11/7 – Grand Rapids, MI – Founders Brewing ^ 11/8 – Chicago, IL – Lincoln Hall ^ 11/9 – St. Paul, MN – Turf Club ^ 11/10 – Milwaukee, WI – The Back Room @ Colectivo ^ 11/11 – Davenport, IA – Raccoon Motel ^ 11/12 – Indianapolis, IN – HiFi ^ 11/13 – St. Louis, MO – Old Rock House ^ 11/14 – Nashville, TN – Basement East ^ 11/15 – Louisville, KY – Zanzabar ^ 11/16 – Cleveland, OH – Beachland Tavern ^ 12/5 – San Diego, CA – Casbah San Diego 12/6 – Los Angeles, CA – The Teragram Ballroom ^ 12/7 – San Francisco, CA – The Independent ^ 12/8 – Felton, CA – Felton Music Hall 12/9 – Mill Valley, CA – Sweetwater Music Hall ^ 12/10 – Arcata, CA – Humbrews / Humboldt Brews ^ 12/11 – Eugene, OR – WildCraft Cider Works ^ 12/12 – Bend, OR – Volcanic Theatre Pub ^ 12/13 – Portland, OR – Doug Fir Lounge ^ 12/14 – Seattle, WA – The Crocodile ^
This Fall, Goose flies West after a run of shows along the east coast, starting with a show at Parish Public House in Albany on Friday, October 18. The eight week run finds the band in New York City on Halloween and also makes return visits to familiar haunts in Buffalo and Boston, and will be supporting The Disco Biscuits in Pittsburgh and Pigeons Playing Ping Pong in New Haven, CT.
Goose’s fall will culminate with their sixth annual holiday celebration, Goosemas VI, on December 21. For the first time, Goosemas will be held at the historic Wall Street Theater in South Norwalk, CT. Surprises are always in store for Goosemas attendees, as the band regularly surprises attendees with a theme, special guests, and a healthy mix of new covers and well-known songs.
The quartet, based in Norwalk, CT, is comprised of Rick Mitarotonda (vocals, guitar), Peter Anspach (vocals, keyboards, guitar), Trevor Bass (bass), and Ben Atkind (drums).
The band returned to the studio in 2019 for the first time since the 2016 debut LP, Moon Cabin, releasing two singles, “All I Need” and “Time to Flee.” Mastered by Grammy Award winner, Emily Lazar, the singles exhibit a developed live band showcasing their studio voice.
In August, Goose played two nights at an intimate music festival in Kentucky, Birds of a Feather Music Festival. Goose premiered just this week the entire multi-cam 80 minute set from night two. Watch here, and check out their buzzworthy set from Peach Fest in July below.
Goose Fall 2019 Tour Dates
OCT 18 – Albany, NY, Parish Public House
OCT 19 – Cambridge, MA, Middle East Upstairs
OCT 25 – Wilkes-Barre, PA, River Street Jazz Cafe
OCT 31 – New York, NY, Mercury Lounge
NOV 02 – New Haven, CT, College Street (supporting Pigeons Playing Ping Pong)
NOV 07 – Harrisburg, PA, Club XL
NOV 08 – Washington, DC, 9:30 Club (supporting Sunsqabi)
NOV 10 – Richmond, VA, The Camel
NOV 14 – Pittsburgh, PA, The Roxian (supporting The Disco Biscuits)
NOV 15 – Columbus, OH, The Summit
NOV 16 – Buffalo, NY, Nietzche’s
DEC 05 – Fort Collins, CO, Aggie Theatre
DEC 06 – Denver, CO, Cervantes Other Side
DEC 07 – Steamboat Springs, CO, Old Town Pub
DEC 08 – Steamboat Springs, CO, Old Town Pub
DEC 11 – St. Louis, MO, The Bootleg
DEC 12 – Chicago, IL, Schubas
DEC 13 – Cincinnati, OH, Top Cats
DEC 14 – Indianapolis, IN, The Mousetrap
DEC 21 – Goosemas VI – South Norwalk, CT, Wall Street Theatre
Mungion and Magic Beans have announced a 15-date co-headlining tour kicking off November 6th in Kansas City, MO with stops bringing them to the Northeast and Southeast. The bands will trade off closing duties night to night, for a run that is full of energy and surprising shows.
“This tour will be something special,” says Scott Hachey from Magic Beans. “The two bands are matched in a way where the overall goal and outcome of our music is the same, however our means of achieving said response varies. Meaning we both set out to lift up the crowds spirits with high energy tunes, but our sounds and musical approach are different.
“However, both bands run the gamut of genres and songwriting. Anyone who is lucky enough to hit this tour will experience a very wide ranging scope of both familiar and unexpected music. Both bands should inspire each other to their upmost potential.”
Mungion’s Justin Reckamp adds, “We can’t wait to get out on the road with The Magic Beans! It’s been a little while since we got down to the south and east coast so we’re really looking forward to getting back there to show our fans what we’ve been working on. As far as pairing up with Magic Beans goes, there’s going to be some pretty wild stuff happening both on and off stage so be prepared to get weird. We’ve crossed paths with them for a while now so it’s nice to finally get a chance to tour with them and get to know each other better.”
Mungion, on the road in support of 2018’s Ferris Wheel’s Day Off, will also be performing a handful of midwest dates in September and October before celebrating Halloween with a show at Durty Nellie’s in Palatine, IL. They’ll also be ringing in New Years Eve with a three night run at Martyrs’ in Chicago, IL.
Magic Beans, fresh off the release of their new album Off Leash this past June will be heading into this run directly off a 3-Night Run of String Cheese Incident Halloween after shows in Austin, TX. The band will also be on the road for a run of dates with Cycles in late September, along with an appearance at Resonance Music & Arts Festival and culminates with a late night Magic Beans show to conclude Pigeons Playing Ping Pongs’ Flocktoberfest in Philadelphia on October 5th.
MUNGION / MAGIC BEANS TOUR
11/06 • Knuckleheads • Kansas City, MO
11/07 • Stickyz • Little Rock, AR
11/08 • Martin’s • Jackson, MS
11/09 • Proud Larry’s • Oxford, MS
11/10 • Howling Wolf • New Orleans, LA
11/13 • Nowhere Bar • Athens, GA
11/14 • Salvage Station • Asheville, NC
11/15 • Pour House • Charleston, SC
11/16 • Precarious Beer Hall • Williamsburg, VA
11/17 • Tellus360 • Lancaster, PA
11/20 • Wonder Bar • Asbury Park, NJ
11/21 • Knitting Factory • Brooklyn, NY
11/22 • Sprout Music Collective • West Chester, PA
11/23 • Kings Rook • Erie, PA
11/24 • Beachland Ballroom • Cleveland, OH
MUNGION TOUR DATES
9/13 • Larrypalooza • Gibbon Glade, PA
9/19 • The Cabooze • Minneapolis, MN
9/20 • Mill Creek • Appleton, WI
9/21 • Gabe’s • Iowa City, IA
10/18 • Kenny’s Westside Pub • Peoria, IL
10/19 • Canopy Club • Urbana, IL
10/26 • HiFi • Indianapolis, IN w/ Tauk
10/27 • Bell’s Eccentric Cafe • Kalamazoo, MI w/ Tauk
11/01 • Durty Nellies • Palatine, IL
12/28 • Martyrs • Chicago, IL
12/29 • Martyrs • Chicago, IL
12/31 • Martyrs • Chicago, IL
MAGIC BEANS TOUR DATES
9/07 • Hightopps Backstage • Timonium, MD
9/19 • Bourbon on Division • Chicago, IL w/ Cycles
9/20-9/22 • Resonance Music & Arts Fest • Slippery Rock, PA
9/25 • The Jewel • Manchester, NH
9/26 • Nectars • Burlington, VT w/ Cycles
9/27 • Iron Works • Buffalo, NY w/ Cycles
10/02 • Port City Music Hall • Portland, ME w/ Cycles
10/03 • The Hollow • Albany, NY w/ Cycles
10/05 • Flocktoberfest After Show at The Foundry • Philadelphia. PA
10/26 • The Summit • Denver, CO w/ Tnertle & Frogleg
Summer is slowly coming to a close, and the Capital Region of Albany has had a trove of music this summer. Starting with Tulip Fest in May, to the Music Haven series in Schenectady, an incredible summer calendar at SPAC, to local weekly series that bring communities together and, of course, Albany’s Alive at Five, the quad-cities of New York have some of the most eclectic music offerings around the state. Check out the final performer at Alive at Five, Marco Benevento Trio and get ready for his set at Adirondack Independence Music Festival this weekend in Lake George!
Young Cobain shares his latest single, “I Got It,” a unique blend of emo rap and alternative rock that draws influence from artists of multiple, diverse genres. The effort to combine digital instruments with live instruments bonds the mix together to create a melodic tune that flows effortlessly. It’s difficult as an artist to find the right balance. Young Cobain is able to execute this task smoothly in a way that blurs the thick lines between genres.
Finding himself immersed in a story of heartbreak and betrayal, his unforgiving lyrics are directed towards an old lover, that decides an attempt to reconcile with the artist only after he rose to fame. The story begins with Young Cobain flipping burgers and bumming cigarettes, wondering where his partner is while he’s in a low point. His fame suddenly sky rockets, and his life is coincidently filled with friends and girls all of the sudden. These fearless lyrics express his frustration about people trying to ride his wave of success, and gain everything they can while it lasts. The story ends in a refreshing tone as Cobain belts out that she had her chance to reach out to him, but now he’s too occupied with his Benz. Ouch!
Young Cobain is able to easily convey his emotions and channel them into his music. Combining influences from different genres in his own creative way proves that this mixed style is Young Cobain’s forte. Throughout his heartfelt story of his struggles with love and fame, Young Cobain proves himself a resilient icon that is thriving through his lyrics and music. Expect to see Young Cobain on festival lineups and consistently producing music.
Few things are more poetic than the lyrical talent of Curtis Flach. It’s been quite the year for C.K. and The Rising Tide. The band, a five-piece Americana and folk powerhouse, is relatively new on the scene, but they have slowly been playing every major venue and more, grabbing new fans along the way. Flach released a solo EP in 2016 before finding his band members.
In 2018 the band, then only a trio and managing itself, released American Romance, a 10-track homage to the finer things in Americana. Armed with fun songs like “Friends” and slower ballads like “Road to Damascus,” American Romance ushered in a wave of success, two new members and new management.
Flach and his bandmates, who include keyboardist and violinist Danny Boudreau, drummer Rob Piccola, bassist Chris Brant and lead guitarist John Lenio (who joined the band in the last few months) are set to release 10 new songs later this month. The album, Perfect Stranger, is said to be more positive, more at peace and quite frankly, “more mature.” Perfect Stranger was released August 16, and followed up with a show at Lost & Found in Albany the next day.
“With this album, we approached things much differently,” Flach said. “When we recorded American Romance, we all recorded our parts separately and didn’t hear it all together until it was fully mixed. We actively worked as a whole this time around.”
Boudreau concurred with Flach’s statement. Boudreau, who has only been playing the violin for a few years, was concerned about his parts in American Romance. This is his first time participating in a band, let alone one that’s successful.
“I didn’t understand how I was going to write my parts because I had no idea what everyone else was doing,” he said. “Luckily, once it came together, it all worked. It was amazing.”
Flach, Brant and Boudreau were the original trio, with some help from Flach’s brother. After recruiting Matthew Copperwheat and Piccola, the band came into its own.
“I’m no longer handling a lot of production tasks, which gives me more time to write and work on music,” Flach said. “Andrew and Rose are amazing at not only keeping us on track, but they are getting us gigs and marketing us in a way we never could have imagined.”
Andrew and Rose Gabriel are the owners and managers at the band’s record label, Ambassador Music Group. The Gabriels pride themselves in handling all the business and marketing for their clients so everyone can focus on what they do best.
“Andrew is really good at keeping us going with deadlines and making sure we fulfill whatever responsibilities we have,” Flach said. Brant added his managers are really good at keeping the group organized. All band members said Rose Gabriel is absolutely amazing with her marketing and social media management, garnering the band significant recognition.
“Between the two of them, we’ve been able to keep it moving along and stay focused,” Brant continued. “It’s been a great fit for us and I hope for them too.”
The Management
Andrew and Rose Gabriel said their business is in “permanent beta” mode. What does that mean? It’s pretty simple; they keep seeing what works for each client and then adjust the business accordingly.
The Gabriel force, who are also partners in life, has made quite a name for itself in the local community. They’ve worked with many of the acts in the Capital District music scene — including Grape Juice, Sydney Worthley and El Modernist — either through doing business directly or featuring bands on their hit live social media show, “AMG Live!”
“AMG’s slogan is ‘focus on music, we’ll take care of business,’” Andrew said. “During this album cycle, we did just that. We were pretty hands-off with the artistic direction of the album. We heard a few demos early on and knew that [C.K. and The Rising Tide] had something special in the works, so we got out of the way and did what we do best: take care of business.”
It’s definitely a lot of work. The hardest part of managing groups like C.K. is no rest. “We get no rest because this band accepts and accomplishes every challenge we throw at them,” Rose said. “We offer feedback one night and the next night they’ve implemented it. We push them to be the best artists they can be and, likewise, they push us to be the best managers we can be.”
Ambassador and C.K. and The Rising Tide just celebrated its one year anniversary together. Flach said he’s hoping the Gabriels are drafting the second year contract. But that’s the thing — the partnership works for the band as well as it does its managers. Both parties have learned a lot about their respective roles in the past year, but neither would change anything.
“We honestly wish we found them sooner,” Andrew said. “…this year [has] made our team stronger, more connected and more ambitious.”
The camera’s eye
Attend any C.K. show, and you’ll probably see a petite blonde with a camera in her hand. If you’ve seen any artwork for the band, the same woman is behind it. Looking at most photos of the group, an A.K. Photography and Design logo is visible somewhere in the frame.
Ann Kielbasa is the official C.K. and The Rising Tide photographer and graphic designer. But she’s special — she’s been there since the group was rehearsing in a garage. She’s a critical part of the foundation that keeps it going because she’s spent so much time showing it off in her work.
“It’s been a whirlwind to watch them grow like this,” Kielbasa said. “It’s very hard to put all of these emotions into words because I’ve watched them blossom into what they are now.”
Kielbasa, while not a part of the official five-piece group, is considered one of the most important parts of the squad. While balancing her full-time job, she’s essentially working another 40-hour-plus gig keeping up with the men and developing her photography business.
“There’s such a sense of pride because I’ve seen all of the encouragement they’ve received and how hard they work behind the scenes,” Kielbasa continued. “I’ve only heard snippets of what’s coming and all I can say is wow. I can’t wait to hear the full thing.”
In regards to her photography, her goal is simple; she aims to visually epitomize the C.K. sound.
“I want to show people what they sound like and who they are without having to know the context,” Kielbasa said. “I’m so lucky to have such an insider view of this and I want to convey some of that knowledge through my lens.”
The Gabriels can’t get enough of Kielbasa either, calling her an “incredibly fun and professional person to work with.”
The Buzzards are Circlin’ ‘round
Drummer Piccola, who was recruited from Craigslist, said it didn’t take him too long to learn his parts on American Romance. Taking over for Flach, who provided drums on the first album, has been exciting.
“Honestly, I think Curtis might be a bit better of a drummer than I am,” he said. “But we all have a corner of the group that works best for us.” Piccola added he’s excited about the release because, like his bandmates, he wants to see how people connect with the music.
A chance to connect came on July 26, when the quintuple-threat released its first single from Perfect Stranger on YouTube, a hauntingly beautiful song called “Follow The Buzzards.” The MP3 track was released several days later. Boudreau explained how “Buzzards” is only a glimpse of what’s to come.
“I feel like Perfect Stranger is much more excited about the prospects of the future, while American Romance talked about things long gone and bitter loss,” Boudreau said. “One lyric that really stands out to me is ‘Follow the sweet, sweet sound / leave it all in the cold, cold ground’ because it’s kind of a way to break with the past of hurt and move into happier times.”
The music video for “Follow The Buzzards” reached 1,000 YouTube views within three days. At print time, the video is close to 2,000. Boudreau said if “Buzzards” is good, listeners will love the rest of the album.
“We’re heading more into indie rock while still maintaining our roots of folk and Americana, which we love,” Brant explained. “This album is definitely a bit different than what we released last time.” Despite the differences, the band assures fans they will still recognize that signature C.K. sound.
Flach is excited, but he’s cautious. He explained that he’s afraid to really go into how much the band’s sound has matured because he doesn’t want to “shoot [himself] in the foot.” However, he admits he’s stepped up his game. No longer the sit-in drummer with 50 different jobs — he’s now the frontman.
“Six months after American Romance, I presented some demos and it has now blossomed into this,” he said. “We’re feeling confident that we’ve been able to top what we put out last time in what’s coming soon. We’ve really been working hard on this.”
The band’s sound has evolved. What was once simple and characteristic of a band getting on its feet is now layered with advanced production and the sound of musicians who know what they’re doing. You can hear the improvement in Flach’s voice, and he’s blessed to have support from four men who are rapidly improving in their own right. It’s a pretty impressive feat, especially when you consider how all five band members work full-time jobs.
C.K. and The Rising Tide will be playing Rocktoberfest 2019, Ambassador’s one-day music festival, at Colonie Park on Oct. 5. It shares a bill with Madison VanDenburg, El Modernist, Vince Palmeri (another Ambassador talent) and more.
“I think we’re all excited to just connect with people some more,” Piccola concluded. “We use our music to convey emotions and thoughts. I’m just excited to see how the public will connect with us.”
Perfect Stranger will be available on iTunes, Spotify and in CD format.
This article was originally published by The Spot 518, is property of Spotlight Newspapers in Albany, N.Y., and appears as a special to NYSMusic. TheSpot518 and NYSMusic work in partnership to provide readers with in-depth coverage on the local music scene in the Capital District and New York state, respectively. For more, visit TheSpot518.com.
